Territory



(No Model.)

J. P. OORKER.

HYGIENIG DEVICE.

No. 496,816. Patented May 2,1893.

m: NORRIS PETERS co woroumq, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OORKER, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH TERRITORY.

HYGIENIC DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,816, dated May 2,1893.

Application filed August 10, 1892. Serial No. 442,651. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. CORKER, acitizen of the United States,residing at Salt Lake City,in the county of Salt Lake and Territory ofUtah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HygienicDevices, of which the following is a description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

My invention relates to improvements in shoulder braces, and consists inthe various matters hereinafter described and claimed. It is well knownthat persons carrying heavy bundles in front of them tend to straightentheir'ba-cks and throw back their shoulders.

With this fact in view, therefore, I have invented a device by whichaweight is applied to the front of the body and is supported by theshoulders.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention Figure 1 is aperspective view of my shoulder brace in position for use. Fig. 2 is aside elevation, one half of the brace being cut away. Fig. 3 is a viewof the Weight. Fig. 4 is a view of my device from the back; and Fig. 5is a view of the belt, the weight being shown in dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawings, A is a plate designed to be applied tothe back of the 0 wearer and preferably enlarged at the bottom as at B.Connected by hinges b, b, to this bottom are rigid curved sides C, O, onthe inner surfaces of which are secured at c, c, the straps G, G,provided with the buckle 3 5 g. The upper portion of the plate A isprovided with'a series of holes a, a, adapted to receive the bolts h, hby which the shoulder pieces E, E, are attached to the back plate, theheight at which the pieces E, E, is at- 0 tached being adjustable byreason of the holes a, a. Straps F, F, are also secured to the plate Aas at f and the straps can be connected by the buckles e, e, to thestraps H, H, secured to the shoulder pieces E, E.

l 5 D is a weight provided with the hooks d, d,

and maybe of any suitable construction, as, for example, a solid pieceof metal, or a bag filled with shot or sand.

The straps F, F, G, G, H and H are of leather or other suitable flexiblematerial while the parts A, B, O, O, E and E are preferably constructedof a rigid substance and then suitably bound and padded to preventchafing. In applying the device the pieces E, E,

are placed upon the shoulders and buckled to the straps F, F. The strapsG, G, are then fastened and the weight D hung upon the waist-pieces G,C. These waist pieces are so placed with relation to the straps G, G,that when the latter are fastened across the abdomen, the former aresome little distance from it so that the weight D cannot come in contactwith the body, thereby avoiding bruising it. It will be readily seen,however, that the straps G, G, may be dispensed with and thewaist-pieces O, O, fastened together in their stead. I may also supportthe front of the waist-pieces by straps leading from them to the frontof the shoulder-pieces, but the preferable construction is the one firstdescribed.

When my brace is applied to the body the weight tends to pull forward,while the wearer to counteract this, straightens the back andconsequently throws back the shoulders, this latter result being furtheraided by the shoulder-pieces E, E.

Having thus described'my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A shoulder brace comprising a plate suitably connected to theshoulders, and provided with waist-pieces having a weight attachedthereto; substantially as described.

2. A shoulder brace comprising a plate suitably connected to theshoulders, waist-pieces suitably secured to said plate, a weightattached to said waist-pieces, and straps for securing the waist-piecesabout the waist ato tached to the said waist-pieces; substantially asdescribed.

3. A shoulder brace comprising a plate, shoulder pieces adj ustablysecured to said plate, and waist-pieces having a weight at- '5 tachedthereto also secured to said plate; substantially as described.

4.. A shoulder brace comprising a plate, shoulder pieces adjustablysecured to said plate, straps secured to said plate and adapt- :00

ed to fasten upon the said shoulder pieces, and waist-pieces hinged tosaid plate provided with a weight; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. CORKER. Witnesses:

ROBERT WENDT, WILLIAM LAPHAM.

